Check out these safety tips to avoid food poisoning, cut prep time, and more.
Get some inspiration for your next event with these summer holiday menus.

Warm-Weather Eating

Warm-Weather Eating

As temperatures rise, so do your chances of getting food poisoning. According to the USDA, the number of illnesses surge from May to September, when picnics and cookouts mean food is out in potentially dangerous temperatures. But even though disease-causing bacteria are lurking, you can stay healthy. Here are the biggest misconceptions about summer food safety and the facts that can keep sickness at bay.

1. Myth: Food is safe in a cooler.

1. Myth: Food is safe in a cooler.

“Life begins at 40 degrees,” says Bethany Thayer, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “If your cooler’s temperature rises above that, disease-causing microorganisms multiply.” To keep food fresh, fill 75 percent of the cooler with edibles first; then, pile on ice or ice packs to fill the remaining 25 percent. Transport the cooler in air conditioning (not a hot trunk), and when you reach your destination, keep the cooler in the shade with the lid closed. Place an inexpensive thermometer in between food items, not up against ice, to be sure the temperature stays below 40 degrees F.